Jaden Korr, Sith Empress
by TehMarishal
Summary: Jaden Korr has embraced the Dark Side of the Force, and she has taken the Sceptor of Ragnos for herself. She begins to make plans with the admiral of the Imperial Remnant, while Kyle and Jan hope to track her down before it's too late.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars and I've never even pretended to own it. I'm just somebody who likes to write fan fiction because I like Star Wars very much.

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Jaden Korr walked about on the Star Destroyer, ready to kill anyone who showed her the slightest disrespect. Tavion was dead, killed by her own hand, and she held the Sceptor in one hand, her lightsaber in the other.

She proceeded toward the bridge, for the most part ignoring the stares of all those she passed. Obviously people were wondering who she was, but probably assumed her to be one of Tavion's followers--an assumption she would correct as she as she entered the bridge. She was taking over, and she would be the leader of the Sith now. She had defeated her own master, and she would prove herself to be stronger than any other Dark Jedi.

It seemed that everyone she passed assumed her to be one of Tavion's apprentices, or perhaps one of Desann's leftover Reborns. But, again, that assumption would be corrected in time.

Upon entering the bridge, and strode forward as if she had always been there and always belonged there. "Tavion is dead," she said, holding up the Sceptor of Marka Ragnos for emphasis. "I have killed her, and I am taking her place. You will serve ME now."

The captain, a man who's name she did not know, approached her. "You expect to come aboard, just like that, and take over?" he said. "You--"

He never got the rest of his sentence out, for Jaden activated her lightsaber and thrust it into his chest. He cried out, and the hiss of the lightsaber was accompanied by the smell of burning flesh. He collasped in a heap, completely lifeless.

"Does anyone else wish to question my authority?" Jaden snarled, pointing the tip of her yellow lightsaber in the direction of each man on the bridge. She waited a full minute, then nodded. "Very good." She walked over to the station where the captain had been standing at.

She punched in the cooridinates, then nodded at the helm. They were going to get moving.

The stars streaked as they made the jump into hyperdrive, away from Korriban, and Jaden knew that there was no turning back now.

She had killed Rosh, killed Alura, killed Tavion, and killed Kyle Katarn. She now had the Sceptor, and she would rule the Sith.

And no one was going to stop her. Not now.

Chapter 1:

Kyle's Hope

Kyle Katarn walked away from the Tomb of Marka Ragnos. He felt like a complete failure, for he had lost both his students, and Jaden now had the Sceptor. Because of this, Tavion's defeat meant nothing. It should have ended there, in the tomb of Marka Ragnos, but it didn't.

He sighed. _I should have just killed her,_ he thought grimly. He had fought her with all of his strength, yet part of him held back as he called out to her while they fought. He remembered two instances during the fight when he had her, where he had pulled her lightsaber out of her grasp and held her in the air with a Force-grip. But he had eased her to the ground, loosening his grip, hoping to make her see reason. But all she saw was weakness, and she had attacked him relentlessly.

He ignored the other Jedi as he made his way back to the shuttle. There were only a few remaining Jedi on Korriban, because Jaden had slain many of them, along with Tavion's loyal followers. He just climbed aboard a shuttle and took a seat, not speaking to anyone. He just wanted to be left alone, to think.

They were going back to Yavin IV to tend to their wounded survivors, but as soon as his buisness at the Academy was finished, Kyle was going to leave. He had already told Luke that he was going to find her, and take care of this himself. It was his responsibility after all. He trained her well, and he should have seen this coming. There had been, perhaps, some part of him that knew all along she was headed down a dark path, but he denied it.

And now, she was a new Sith, running loose in the galaxy with all the power that was stored in the Scepter. And, because of her, many good Jedi were dead.

He was very silent and thoughtful during the flight back to Yavin.

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"Master Katarn," Jaina, the young Zabrak Padawan, said as she entered Kyle's quarters. "I'm sorry to disturb you, sir, but there's someone here to see you."

He was about to say he didn't want to be disturbed, but then he saw who it was. "Jan," he greeted. Her presence brought a smile to his face, and he went over and embraced her, giving her a light peck on the cheek. "How are you?" he asked. "I haven't seen you for a few weeks."

"Oh, I'm fine," she said. "I've been helping Mon Mothma." She sighed softly. "She really hoped that Tavion's death would be the end of this mess with the Disciples of Ragnos and the remaining Reborns. Now that there's a new Sith on the loose, she's beginning to feel pressure from the Republic."

Jan's words his Kyle like a knife. "And it's all my fault," he murmured.

She stared at him, then gently took his hand in hers. "Don't say that," she said quickly. "When you first introduced Jaden to me, I thought she was a very sweet girl, one with potential. And I think that sweet girl is still in there somewhere. From what Luke says, she's been consumed by anger, but perhaps she can work her way through it."

"That's easy to say," Kyle sighed, "but she is a Jedi. When a non-Force user is consumed by anger, they might pick a fight or snap at everyone in sight, but even if they hold onto their anger, they can't do as much harm as a Jedi. For a Jedi, the anger is more addictive, because it fuels them with the power of the Dark Side once they open themselves up to it. And it's hard to let go of that power."

"So, you're going after her." Jan said. It was a statement, not a question. "I'm coming with you."

"Jan, I can't let you. The risk--"

"We've been on risky missions before," Jan said. "We've always pulled through."

"She's powerful and she's dangerous," Kyle argued. He still remembered the day when he thought she was dead. He had nearly gone over to the Dark Side himself when Tavion taunted him, telling him that she and Desann had used her "death" as a way of finding the location of the Valley of the Jedi.

Maybe I should have killed her, there and then, Kyle thought. Or at least I shouldn't have let her go. He sighed. There was no way he could change the past, and if he could have faced that moment again, he wasn't sure if he could have done anything differently.

"You'll need a pilot," Jan said. "You're going to need someone who can be ready to get you out of danger instantly should you run into trouble." She put a hand on his shoulder. "This will be just like old times."

"Yeah," Kyle said with a deep sigh. "Except this time, we're on a mission to stop a... friend."

Chapter 2

The Iron Fist

About an hour after their journey began, Jaden Korr left the bridge of the Star Destroyer. She was confident that, by now, everyone onboard had learned of Tavion's death and knew that she was now in charge.

She decided to go to Tavion's quarters, to see what was there. She had not selected a room for herself yet, and she deemed it fitting to take the room of the woman she had killed. Jaden had taken everything else from her; the Sceptor, her rank among the Sith, and of course, her life. And Jaden would now claim the very last thing that had belonged to Tavion as her own.

She found Tavion's quarters a couple of decks below the bridge. The door was locked, but she simply took out her lightsaber and sliced the lock. The door opened istantly, as if realizing that she was the new occupant to the room and didn't want to cross her. She smiled smugly, and went inside. She rested the Sceptor against the wall, then proceeded to explore the room.

She glanced about, and began to look over Tavion's belongings. A trunk full of clothes sat against the wall beside the bunk. The bunk looked rather luxurious, having silky sheets and a warm blanket woven out of taun-taun fur. How... naturalistic, she thought, running her fingers over the blanket. When she touched it, she realized why Tavion must have liked it. It felt soothing and warm to her fingertips, and she felt the urge to lay down and wrap herself up in it.

But she didn't. She had other things to do right now. She walked over to the opposite side of the room and looked down at the desk. It was covered with odds and ends, but a single datapad caught her eye. She picked it up and began to read. Why, this must be Tavion's journel, she thought, staring at it with interest. She walked over to the bed and sat down on the edge of it and proceeded to read.

When Jaden had first seen Tavion, she had sensed that the woman was very powerful. Shortly after Tavion escaped with Rosh, Kyle had told her all about how she had worked for a Dark Jedi called Desann, and how he had spared her when he faced her battle. _My master was always weak,_ Jaden thought, scowling. _But he did have his uses, before I killed him. He did teach me about the Force, and now I am more powerful than he will ever be._

She continued to read through the journel, and found out many things about Tavion she had never known before. Reading this was like catching a glimpse of the woman's heart and soul, the way she thought, and what her life had been like. Jaden read about her past life, and found out what she had been before she entered into Desann's service.

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Tavion had been a smuggler and a mercenary. Her parents had died when she was a young teenager, and she was eager to go off and make a living for herself. It seemed that the easiest way to make a living was to make a lot of money, even if it meant doing illegal deeds. And she made a lot of money.

When she was about twenty, everyone knew her face, and they knew her name, Rimma. She had become quite talented in hiding, and she knew that she had better not get captured because a bounty had been placed on her head.

On her twenty-first birthday, she lost everything. She was literally fleeing from a system, with all of her money and possessions onboard her shuttle. She almost got away, but her shuttle was ambushed and fired upon, sustaining too much damage. She was forced to land on one of the nearby planets, and the ships pursued her. They were probably either the system's authorities, or perhaps bounty hunters. Either way, she knew she was in trouble.

Her shuttle crashed, but she managed to escape before it burst into flames. It seemed that whoever was pursuing her, they didn't care if they got her dead or alive, because they had opened fire on her shuttle after it crashed. They must be the authorities, she thought as she made a run for it. If they were bounty hunters, the would want a body at least.

She could hear them pursuing her. Didn't take them long to send the Kath Hounds after me, she thought. She tried to run, but a blaster shot caught her in the thigh, and it caused her to fall. She knew that she was done for now, because she could already hear them surrounding her. She didn't even try to resist, or to get up. She just buried her face in the ground.

"You're under arrest," the captain said. But he didn't get the chance to say anything further.

Rimma heard the snap-hiss of a lightsaber being activated, and she heard everyone shouting and firing their blasters. A moment later, everything was silent.

Finally, she dared to look up.

It was at that moment that her life changed forever.

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Jaden shut off the datapad and thought over what she had read. Desann had accepted Rimma as an apprentice, saying that he had uses for her. And Rimma had litereally started a new life that day, changing her name to Tavion, and she even chose to bear the tatoos some of the ancient Sith wore. It was said that Rimma Skye died that day, at the hands of Desann. In a way, that was the truth, for she had become Tavion, and anyone who saw her face did not recongize her as Rimma.

Jaden rose from the bunk and dropped the datapad back onto the desk.

For the first time, she became aware of the closet, which was located next to the desk. She had been so distracted by the datapad that she hadn't even noticed it. Curious, she opened the door--

--And ended up being knocked roughly across the room as pain exploded in her jaw. She found herself staring up at the ceiling, her mouth filling with blood which trickled out of the corner of her lips. She ignored the pain and got to her feet, wiping away the blood.

"So, you're the one who killed her," came a gruff voice. Then, the owner of the voice came out of the closet, sneering down at her. He was a tall, burly man, dressed in a black outfit with a hood that concealed his face. He grinned at her smugly, as if he had planned this.

"Who are you?" Jaden shouted, activated her lightsaber.

The man activated his own lightsaber, and it's fiery red blade thrummed softly. "I'm Tavion's brother. She's not the only one who trained under Desann. After Desann's death, it took me a while to find her, but then we agreed to work together. She took command of this Star Destroyer while I took command of another. My Star Destroyer was destroyed by the Republic, so I returned here... only to find that you killed my sister." He pointed. "I am taking that Sceptor, even if I have to fight you for it."

Jaden took a step forward. "I will kill you," she swore.

Then the battle began, and it was awkward in close quarters. The room was small, and it wasn't long before the table had been smashed and splintered, and the bunk had been slashed a few times by the lightsaber. It was unavoidable to damage the furniture when battling in such a small room.

But the fight only lasted a few minutes at most. Jaden's opponent made the first mistake, and she neatly removed the hand his lightsaber was in. Then she plunged her saber blade into his chest, and watched with satisfaction as he grunted and fell to his knees, gasping and coughing.

He looked up at her, his eyes gleaming with open hatred.

"Tell me," Jaden purred, smiling down at him in triumph, "if you're really Tavion's brother, why didn't her journel mention you?"

He coughed. "B-because I deleted her entries," he managed to gasp. "I deleted every reference of me. I wanted you to read it, to know something about the person you killed." He sighed. "She always said I was weak, too sentimental," he muttered quietly, almost too quietly for her to hear. "Probably why I lost my Star Destroyer. I was always too quick to show compassion, to show mercy."

"And for that weakness," Jaden said, gloating, "you'll die." She took out her lighsaber and removed his head.

Then she sighed and sat down on the edge of the bed... what was left of it. I guess I'll have to get another room now, or at least replace the furniture, she thought. She got up and accessed the intercom, calling the bridge. "There's a mess down here in my quarters that needs to be cleaned up," she said.

Chapter 3

Finding Jaden

(two weeks have passed)

_Yep, this is just like old times,_ Kyle Katarn thought as the Raven's Claw dropped out of hyperspace. He was seated in the co-pilot's seat, next to Jan Ors. It had already been agreed that she would drop him off on the planet's surface and be ready to pick him up if things turned ugly.

Jan was an excellent pilot, and she had more than proved herself time and time again as one of the best pilots in the Republic. But even she looked uneasy now, for a Star Destroyer loomed nearby, and she had to take the Raven's Claw in for a landing without being spotted.

They both knew that the Star Destroyer had previously been Tavion's flagship, but now Jaden had taken it over. They'd heard through various sources that that vessel, the Iron Fist, was a tough ship. But of course, Star Destroyers in general had a reputation of being tough, and deadly.

It had taken them several days to discover the whereabouts of the Iron Fist, but they had finally managed to track it down. They were approaching a remote world located within the Outer Rim known as Saurus.

After scanning the area, Jan finally brought the ship in for a landing. "We'll make this quick," she murmured, her brow furrowing in concentration.

A few minutes later, she brought the ship in for a smooth landing.

"Thanks, Jan," Kyle said, rising from the co-pilot's seat. He made sure his lightsaber was secure on his belt, then I grabbed a blaster. "Now, as soon as I'm out, get the ship out of here. But be ready if I shout for help."

"Roger," Jan said. "Just don't get yourself killed."

"I won't. Just take care of the Raven's Claw. Keep her from being seen or shot down out of the sky."

"Oh, so now you care more about the Raven's Claw than you do me?" Jan teased, raising her eyebrows in mock indignance.

"Are you jealous of the ship?" Kyle asked, widening his eyes, feigning a look of surprise and bafflement at the idea.

"I've heard all the nice things you've said about her to Luke," Jan said, turning away. She folded her arms and pretended to pout.

Kyle tried to continue his part of the act by glaring at her, but he broke into a wide grin instead. He and Jan would sometimes play these games... although both of them knew this really wasn't the time or the place for fooling around.

"I'd better get going," Kyle said, and the moment of levity faded. He started to turn away, but Jan hopped up out of the pilot's seat and rested a hand on his arm. "Do what you have too," she said, and kissed him on the cheek. "I'll be ready with the ship when you need me."

He took her hand gently, and squeezed it. He looked into her dark brown eyes and held her gaze for a moment, then he simply nodded and walked out of the cockpit.

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Jaden Korr walked into the Imperial compound, closely followed by a pair of Dark Jedi. They were a couple of Desann's leftover Reborns, who had followed Tavion loyally after Desann's death. They seemed loyal enough, but it was obvious they were observing Jaden closely, watching her for any sign of weakness or vulnerability.

But she showed them niether. Her stride was full of strength and confidence, and she sensed admiration radiating off of them. She could feel their piercing gaze on her at all times, yet she did not let it get too her._ Let them see how someone who is truly strong in the Force bears herself,_ she thought smugly.

She was going to talk to the leader of the Imperial Remnant. The Republic had discovered several of their bases, and after Tavion's defeat, they had been forced to relocate. So they had settled down on this remote world, and Jaden had sought them out.

Jaden thought carefully over what she was going to say as she walked toward the man's office. One of the things she thought about was her name, and she narrowed her eyes. _I'm not Jaden Korr anymore!_ Her hands clenched into fists. She was someone else. Someone who blindly followed the counsul of those weak Jedi. _I am..._

She approached the door leading to the office of the man she came to see. The guards looked at her wearily, and one of them said, "You may enter, but your... companions must wait out here."

Jaden sighed. "Very well, I will go in alone." With that, she walked in.

The office was fairly large, but it really didn't have much in it. Just a large, white desk covered with paperwork, and a couple of portraits hanging on the walls. Behind the desk sat a man with graying black hair, who was dressed in an Imperial uniform.

He glanced up from his work when she entered, and pushed away from the desk. He got up and walked around the desk and saluted her. "I am Admiral Jason Staryoung. I understand that you have you killed Tavion and have taken her place. What is your name?"

Jaden opened her mouth, then closed it. After a moment of thought, she finally said, "I am Darth Eviwy. The new Empress of the Sith."

"I see," Admiral Staryoung said. He sighed softly. "It's ironic. First we lose Desann to Katarn, and now we lose Tavion to Katarn's student. I--"

Jaden--Darth Eviwy--placed her hand on her hip, a little too close to her lightsaber. "If you are about to say that I might be next, I'll--"

"You might want to think carefully about your next words," Admiral Staryoung interrupted firmly. "I am the only person who is holding the Imperial Remnant together. If you do anything to me, every man here will--"

Eviwy snorted. "I killed my own master, and I killed most of the Jedi who opposed me on Korriban. Both light and dark. I think I can handle everyone in this base."

"You may think that you and those two, ah, gentlemen waiting outside can handle us," Admiral Staryoung said, "but the three of you--along with whoever else is on your Star Destroyer--cannot hope to defeat an entire planet. Literally the entire Remnant is here, on this world."

"The Iron Fist is in a position to open fire," Eviwy said. "I could give the order to wipe all of you out."

"And how would that benefit you?" Staryoung asked. "Let's say that you did wipe out every life on this planet. Then all that would be left are the people on your Star Destroyer. What would you do? Take on the entire Republic alone? You know as well as I do that, while the Iron Fist is a powerful ship, it can't take on the entire Republic. You're going to need allies. And, if you help us retake the worlds that rightfully belong to the Empire, and help us rebuild the Empire, then we will help you."

Eviwy thought for a moment, then nodded. "It seems that we will be working together, then," she said.

"Not so fast," the Admiral said. "Before we agree to start working together, you must... prove yourself."

"What do you mean prove myself!" Eviwy thundered.

"We need to know that you truly are the strongest Jedi," Staryoung said patiently. "As I said a moment ago, we have lost Desann and Tavion. Luke Skywalker and Kyle Katarn are very strong in the Force, and they are legendary heroes. If you can kill both of them, and bring their heads back to me, then I'll be quite sure that no Jedi could possibly stand against you."

"Kyle Katarn is dead already," Eviwy sneered. "I killed him on Korriban. I can have someone go and retrieve his head if you need proof."

"Katarn is not dead. He's been spotted numerous times on several worlds." Staryoung sighed. "Next time you face you him, be sure to remove his head. Thay way you can be sure the job is done," he said dryly.

Eviwy was about to reply, but she suddenly closed her mouth and glanced away, her eyes narrowing. She stared at the wall, as if looking past it at something only she could see.

"What is it?" Staryoung asked.

Eviwy's lips quirked into a smile as her eyes darkened. "I sense that my master is here," she said. "He can't hide from me. He doesn't have any idea how powerful I've become with the Sceptor."

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After Kyle left the Raven's Claw, he headed for cover as the ship lifted off the ground and moved off. He got out a pair of electrobinoculars and began to survey the area. It looked like he would have a bit of running to do, because it looked like the nearest settlement--where Jaden was--was several clicks away.

He put the binocs back in his carrybag and threw it over his shoulder. But, just as he started to move, he stopped dead in his tracks.

_Oh no... she knows I'm here,_ he thought.

Chapter 4

Confrontation

Lightsaber blades clashed, hissing and smoking, throwing off a slight smell of ozone.

Jaden had ambushed Kyle as her former master had made his way toward the entrance of the Imperial base. Flanked by the two Reborns who had accompanied her, she managed to get Kyle surrounded from three sides.

"Jaden!" Kyle had exclaimed upon seeing her.

"I'm not Jaden," she had hissed in reply. "I'm Darth Eviwy." Then she'd gestured the Reborns to step back, and she attacked Kyle aggressively with her lightsaber.

And they kept at it for several minutes. Eviwy delivered blow after blow, fighting with skill and swift reflexes, moving so quickly that Kyle couldn't afford to make any counter moves. He was too busy blocking all of her blows.

Finally, Kyle made a slip in his defense and Jaden removed his arm. He cried out sharply, and Eviwy took advantage of his distraction to kick him in the midsection. He grunted and doubled over, then collasped.

"I must say I'm surprised to see you here, 'master'," she taunted. She grabbed him roughly and rolled him over so that he was flat on his back, forced to look up at her. Her teeth flashed in a gloating smile, and she put her lightsaber near his throat.

"Jaden," Kyle said, his voice rasping, "you don't want to do this."

"And why not?"

"Because Luke and I still sense good in you. There is still a chance that you can resist the Dark Side. If you do this, there will be no turning back. Please, put away your lightsaber!"

"Save your words," Eviwy snarled. She raised her lightsaber and plunged the blade into his chest.

Just then, a ship appeared above them, and opened fire. Eviwy and the Reborns knew they couldn't hope to deflect blaster turrents, not when they were coming from a ship. They retreated, headed in the direction of the Imperial Compound, where they would surely get reinforcements.

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Jan brought the Raven's Claw down for a landing, then rushed to the exit and leaped out of the ship. She ran to Kyle's side, panting breathlessly. "Kyle, are you all right?" She asked.

He coughed. "I think... I think I was lucky," he managed to rasp. "She didn't hit anything vital, I don't think."

"She got you in the chest," Jan said. "That's serious enough."

"I mean, she didn't hit my heart, or my lungs. Seems like she just wanted to frighten me, or cause some pain--"

"We can talk about this later," Jan said, helping him to his feet. She put one of his arms across the back of her shoulders, and he leaned heavily against her. "We've gotta get out of here, before they send all they've got after us."

"By the time we get out of here it may be too late," Kyle said. "You took a big risk, Jan. You should have just left--"

"I couldn't do that," Jan said. "Come on, we'll get out of here. Then we need to get you to a bacta tank."

Chapter 5

Plans in the Making

"You mean you didn't kill him?"

Darth Eviwy raised her hand, prepared to Force-choke Admiral Staryoung, but she remembered herself and drew back her hand. "My intention was to capture him," she said quickly. "To try and convert him. I thought that if I showed him a taste of the Dark Side's true power, he might join me." At least he should have, she thought. I defeated him easily, twice. He has seen and tasted the Dark Side. Why won't he convert! That question both puzzled and frustrated her to no end.

After Kyle and Jan got away in the Raven's Claw, several Imperial vessels had gone after them in hot pursuit. They didn't catch the Raven's Claw, but they did manage to disable it's hyperdrive. Now the vessel hid somewhere in a nearby asteroid belt, and several Imperial patrols had been dispatched to watch the belt from all angles, waiting for them to come out.

Now Eviwy was standing before the Admiral's desk as he stood behind it, facing her, his palms flat on the smooth surface of the desk.

Eviwy's hair had become undone and some of it hung loosely over her face, but she ignored it. Her lightsaber as well as a blaster hung from her belt, and she held the Sceptor in one hand, leaning on it slightly as if it were a staff. She clenched her other hand into a fist and rested it on her hip.

Staryoung sighed deeply and glanced down at his desk, shaking his head. "Everyone knows that Kyle Katarn and Luke Skywalker are the strongest Jedi anyone has ever heard of. Skywalker defeated his own father and Kyle defeated Jerek, merely by clinging to the Light Side. Apparently this Light Side is strong in it's own way..." He looked up from his desk and met her gaze evenly. "Perhaps it is having an effect on you, as well?"

Eviwy's features darkened fiercely and she aimed the fork-like end of the Sceptor at the Admiral's throat. "I have embraced the Dark Side fully," she spat, her voice clear and deadly. "If I didn't need you, I would have killed you as soon as I first saw you."

Staryoung flinched involuntarily. "I have no doubt of that," he said, his eyes widening. "But," he continued, forcing himself to show outward calmness, "that is because you care nothing for me. You view me as a puppet who has his uses. But someone such as Kyle Katarn, you care about him. You would rather see him converted than kill him." He locked his eyes with hers again, his expression bold. "Just as Darth Vader could not kill his son. Instead, Vader returned to the Light, and betrayed the Empire."

Eviwy's face contorted as she was consumed by rage and anger. She allowed it to well up inside her, and felt the power of the Dark Side coursing through her veins. Kyle's words echoed through her mind momentarily; Luke and I can still sense good in you...

"There is no good in me! Not anymore!" she hissed, and raised the Sceptor, unleashing it's terrible power into the desk before her. Staryoung cried out and leapt away from the desk as pure energy surged into it, burning it until there was nothing left but scorched wood and ashes.

Staryoung stared at her, stunned. His thoughts and emotions played out across his features now, and Eviwy read them as if she were reading a datapadd. He's really frightened now, she thought, her mouth curving smugly. I do not think he will make the mistake of doubting me again.

"Kyle has had his chance," she sneered. "When I meet him again, he will not escape my wrath."

Staryoung only nodded, then slowly got up off the floor, his hands trembling.

"And I believe he will seek me out again, though he won't be unprepared," she thought. "I will take advantage of his weakness. He probably hopes to capture me. But, the next time he shows his face, I will see to it that my face is the last thing he sees!"

The Admiral coughed. "There is one other thing I wanted to discuss with you," he said, having found his voice.

"And what is that, Admiral?"

"We believe that the Raven's Claw sent out a subspace transmission before it went into the asteroid belt," Staryoung said. "We believe that they've told the Republic, as well as the Jedi, about our hidden Imperial base here. If the Republic sends ships, they could wipe out all that remains of the Empire. And if the Jedi arrive with them..." He trailed off, not needing to finish the sentence.

Eviwy sighed. "Then obviously we will need to come up with a battle plan," she said. "We will make our stand here." A wicked smile crossed her face as she added, "And I believe that a prisoner or two will help as well."

"Prisoner?" Staryoung exclaimed. "But we don't have--"

"Oh, we will," Eviwy purred.

---------------

"Does that feel any better?" Jan Ors asked, her forehead slightly wrinkled with concern.

"A little," Kyle said with a grunt. He was lying on some blankets on the floor near the cockpit. Jan had managed to land the ship on one of the larger asteroids, and she had been at Kyle's side every since.

Thankfully there had been a small amount of bacta onboard the ship, and Jan had used all of it on Kyle's chest wound. Then she bandaged it up and handed him some food rations.

"We'd better make these last for as long as we can," she said. "There's no telling when we'll be able to get out of here."

"Well, the Republic fleet should be out here soon," Kyle said. "We're not going anywhere until help arrives, not with a busted hyperdrive."

Jan nodded in agreement. "In the meantime, get some sleep. As you said, we're not going anywhere."

Kyle murmured an agreement. He felt tired, and his Force-powers had been exhausted by fighting Jaden, and by keeping himself alive long enough for Jan to use the bacta on his wound. Jan reached over and took his hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. She smiled warmly at him, and he returned the smile, his eyes shining.

He started to close his eyes, but suddenly, his eyes went wide and he gasped.

"What's wrong?" Jan asked, trying to keep her voice level. He tried to sit up, but this resulted in a groan and triggered a coughing fit. "Easy now," she said, gently pushing him back down. "What's wrong?" she repeated, gently but firmly.

"Jaden, she's looking for us--for me," he rasped. "She's using her Force senses to try and locate the Raven's Claw!" He could literally feel her stretching out her mind, her senses, and she could sense that he was somewhere within the asteroid field. All she had to do was home in on him, as if he were a homing beacon...

I hope the Republic fleet gets here soon, he thought. His mouth suddenly felt dry.

-----------------

Travick was not a true Reborn, but he considered himself to be one. He served alongside with Markal, who had served under Desann, and served Tavion just as loyally as he had his former master. Travick had been recruited by Alora, Tavion's apprentice, and he had trained under Markal.

Travick respected Markal because of his strength and power, but also because he had seen much combat. In Travick's opinion, Markal had more experience than anyone else. And now, the two of them accompanied Darth Eviwy whenever she summoned them, and Markal was her second-in-command. He was in charge of what remained of the Sith Cult when Eviwy wasn't around.

_Eviwy is a woman of power,_ Travick thought with respect and admiration. He felt attracted to the young woman, and he could sense the intensity of the Dark Power that flowed within her. But he didn't actually feel anything for her, any more than he felt anything for Tavion or Alora. She was just another pretty Sith Lady, and they were all the same. Beautiful, and deadly.

They both knew that Eviwy had left the planet's surface a short while ago in order to track down her former master. Most of the Sith were off making preparations to face the Republic fleet when they arrived, but Travick noticed something about Markal. He looks as though something is troubling him. he thought. He decided to ask the man about it, though cautiously.

"Markal!" he called out, approaching his teacher in the corridor. They were the only Sith who were still inside the main Imperial compound, though they were heading toward the exit.

"Yes?" Markal said emotionlessly.

"Is there something on your mind? You seem... distant," Travick said.

"Yes, there is," Markal said. "I have served under three Sith Lords. First Desann, then Tavion, and now Eviwy. Each one has shown weakness. Desann was too weak to defeat Katarn, and Tavion was killed by the hand of Eviwy, who became her successor. But I fear that Eviwy may prove to be too weak to be the leader of the Sith as well."

"How do you mean?"

"She had Katarn in a vulnerable position. She could have killed him easily with a single blow, but I felt her holding back." Markal turned to regard his apprentice stoically. "I have seen how the skilled Masters handle a lightsaber. I have observed both Jedi and Sith in combat, and I can tell when someone is fighting with all their might, and when they are holding back. When Eviwy fought with Katarn, she did not hold back, until she defeated him. I could tell by her stance that, when she plunged her saber into his chest, she was aiming to wound, not kill. That is a weakness, and her weakness is Katarn."

Markal turned away and resumed his walk, Travick walking close beside him. "When the Republic fleet arrives, she will be distracted, and I will use the opportunity to attack her, and kill her." He chuckled softly. "Then I will be the leader of the Sith. And I will be a stronger, more capable leader then Desann, Tavion... or Eviwy."

Travick's eyes widened slightly when he heard this. As he thought about it, he figured that he had two options. Keep this to himself so Eviwy didn't find out, or...

Or he could tell Eviwy, and she might reward him handsomely for it...

To Be Continued...


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 6: Arrival

---------------------

Darth Eviwy had left the planet's surface a short time ago, in a small TIE fighter. Of course she didn't go alone; at least four other fighters accompanied her. And Travick knew that she had gone out to track down Kyle Katarn with her Force senses.

He stood outside the Imperial Compound where Admiral Staryoung's office was located. Travick knew that the Admiral was beginning to get impatient with Eviwy, although the Imperial knew better than to fully verbalize his displeasure. _Maybe she'll come through this time, or maybe she won't,_ Travick thought. If she could somehow capture Kyle Katarn, they could use him as a hostage when the Republic attacked. But if she didn't get her hands on him, then there was a chance the Republic could wipe out all the Sith on the world, along with the Imperial Remnant.

_Unlike Markal, I can see past the desire for power and fame,_ he thought, fingering his chin thoughtfully. _It seems that all he can think about is a chance to take down Eviwy and became the next Dark Lord. But the true question should be... will there be anything left AFTER this battle, whether or not Eviwy is dead?_

Travick believed that a Sith should be more than just a powerful Force-user, and a Sith should be more than a ruthless being with brute strength. A successful Sith would be a ruthless opportunist, true--a being that would never pass up a chance to gain more power and control. But in order to be successful, a Sith also needed to be good at thinking ahead and planning things out. But Travick knew he needed to think about how this situation could benefit him in the long run. Eviwy was obviously a very intelligent woman... she had a soft spot for Katarn, yes, but perhaps that was all for the best. If she had killed Katarn, they would have nothing available to use against the Republic.

Travick sighed, and slowly walked away from the compound, deep in thought. He had been... having some doubts about the ways of the Sith for some time now. Of course he could never voice them, because they would see it as weakness. He had never been interested in the Jedi, nor would he ever be interested in joining them. But over the past few months, he'd been thinking quite a bit. Both Desann and Alora--as well as Tavion--were dead, despite all of their power. How long would it be until Eviwy--or even Markal--encountered a similar fate? Perhaps the Sith way was not as... fulfilling and glorious as he'd originally thought.

_This isn't the time to be philosophical,_ he told himself firmly as he started pacing. He had to think about his current situation; who was he going to side with, Eviwy, or Markal? He continued thinking it over for several minutes... then finally made a desicion.

-----------------------

"She's coming," Kyle grunted, attempting to get up. "I can sense her!"

"No, you need to lie still," Jan said, placing her hands on his shoulders. "The _Raven's Claw_ is a sitting duck, and getting up isn't going to change our prediciment."

Kyle looked at her, meeting her eyes with his own, and sighed softly. "You're right, as usual," he said, and abandoned the attempt to get up. "Hopefully the Republic will arrive soon. In the meantime, I need to do all I can to keep her from finding me."

"What do you mean?" Jan asked.

"It means I'm going to do the only thing I can do," Kyle replied. "Mask my Force signature from her."

---------------------

Darth Eviwy gripped the steering controls of her fighter, gritting her teeth in frustration. She was a superb pilot, but manuevering through a field of asteroids was challenging even for her. Especially since her former master's Force signature seemed to be... dimming. Was he dying?

She narrowed her eyes, using her physical vision--her eyes--to focus on the instruments while she used her second vision--her Force senses--to keep searching for Kyle. And yet she felt his presence in the Force growing fainter...

No, she realized, not fainter. If he were dying, it would be like seeing a candle light dimming and going out. This was more like encountering a barrier that was blocking the light of the candle, but the candle itself still burned. She sighed in annoyance, smacking her hand against the console.

_"Red Wing Alpha to Strike Force Commander,"_ came a voice over the comm unit. It was her wingman.

She snapped on the communications transmitter with a flick of her thumb. "Strike Force Commander here. I ordered you to maintain communication's silence!" she barked.

_"I know, Strike Force Commander,"_ came the reply._"But I'm picking up on multiple transmissions, and the Imperial base has detected a large number of ships approaching."_

_The Republic fleet--DAMN!_ Eviwy wished that she could somehow reach through the vaccuum of space and choke that man, just to release some of her wrath. Could things possibly get any more complicated?

"Return to the base, immediately!" she barked. The plan to capture Kyle had failed, and now the Imperial Remnant was about to be overrun. But she would see to it that they did not go down without a fight.

-------------------

Admiral Staryoung glanced up from his office desk as Travick entered. Under normal circumstances, he would have no interest in seeing one of the Sith underlings. He only spoke with the Sith who was in charge of the other Sith because he had too, and he often felt as though he was putting his life at risk just by talking to her. He knew that she would kill him in a heartbeat if he wasn't so useful to her. In some ways, Eviwy seemed more dangerous than Desann, Tavion, and Alora combined...

The only reason he told the guards allow Travick to enter was because the Sith claimed to have some valuable information about Eviwy and Mavrick... information that they could both use to their advantage. The way the Dark Jedi phrased it was enough to make Staryoung curious.

The Admiral folded his hands atop his desk, and looked at the Sith, meeting his gaze evenly. "You said you have some 'valuable information' as you put it?" he asked. "Information involving Darth Eviwy... and another Sith?"

"Yes," Travick said. He stood casually before the large desk--one that had been replaced after Eviwy destroyed the previous one in her anger--with his hands clasped behind his back. His lightsaber hilt shone like silver in the office light, as if it were an ornament hanging off his belt. He wore a simple outfit, including a cloak and a hood that concealed his face perfectly.

_Why does it seem like most of the Sith underlings choose to hide their features?_ Staryoung thought. People like Eviwy, Desann, Tavion, and Alora never wore cloaks or masks that concealed their faces, and yet so many other Sith did... but then again, there were some things about the Sith that he had never been able to figure out.

"Markal and I serve as Darth Eviwy's aides, though one might say that we are also her bodyguards, in a sense," Travick said. "Markal, however, is growing more ambitious, and he plans to attack Eviwy when the Republic fleet arrives. He believes that she will be distracted by it, and that he will be able to kill her, and take his place."

Staryoung prevented himself from sighing and rolling his eyes. It was the age-old story that everyone knew--as soon as a Sith underling decides to get ambitious, that's when things turned ugly. "I see," he said slowly, narrowing his eyes. "And why exactly are you telling me this?"

"Because I think we could both use this to our advantage," Travick said.

_Oh no,_ Staryoung thought. Now this Sith wanted to include him on some sort of scheme. "What exactly do you have in mind?" he asked cautiously.

-------------------

The Republic fleet had arrived, and the TIE fighters had returned to the planet's surface. The enormous Republic vessels moved into position, prepared to open fire, and to shoot down _any_ vessel that attempted to leave the surface. It didn't matter if the vessels were trying to escape, or trying to attack; the Republic was ready for anything. The Imperial base below was effectively trapped.

Jan Ors carefully piloted the _Raven's Claw_ out of the asteroid belt, and brought it aboard one of the Republic base ships. Once the vessel was safely docked within the hanger bay, Jan got Kyle to the medical bay. To her surprise--and relief--Luke Skywalker met her there.

"Let me guess," she murmured as she assisted Kyle, helping him over to one of the medical bunks, "you sensed us through the Force."

"You've got to teach me to do that someday, Luke," Kyle muttered, the corners of his mouth forming a small smile. His arm was draped across Jan's shoulders, and it was obvious that she was supporting some of his weight. He was clutching his chest, and his face was slightly pale.

"Quiet now," Jan said, softly but firmly. Luke took Kyle's other arm, and they both helped him onto the medical bunk. Almost immediately, a medical droid approached them, and began to run its scanning instruments over Kyle. After a couple of minutes it announced, "He will need to be placed within a bacta tank immediately."

Kyle grunted, then he looked from Jan to Luke, then his gaze settled on Jan. "I'll be all right," he said, reaching out and taking her hand. "Just... stop Jaden. Stop the Imperial Remnant."

Jan held onto his hand for a full minute, squeezing it gently. Then the droid made a sound of impatience, and Luke placed a hand on her shoulder. "Let's go," the Head Jedi Master said to her. "He's in good hands." The droid made a pleasent sound in response to Luke's remark, then turned its full attention to Kyle, and began tending to him.

**Chapter 7 Endgame**

Travick sighed softly. "I think a new plan may be in order," he said, stroking his chin thoughtfully. "Think about it. Desann, Tavion, Alora--they have all fallen, and Darth Eviwy will surely be next. Even if Markal succeeds in defeating Eviwy and taking her place, he will one day be defeated as well. It is the ancient tradition of the Sith, a never-ending cycle."

"Indeed," Admiral Staryoung agreed, nodding warily. He knew that this Sith minion had a good point. Staryoung himself had seen Tavion take over after Desann's defeat, and he had seen Eviwy take over after Tavion's defeat. And in each case, Luke Skywalker and Kyle Katarn had had a hand in the defeat of the Sith Lords. Luke was a powerful Jedi Knight, and had played a major role in defeating the Emperor... and his own father. Kyle Katarn had defeated Lord Jerec at the Valley of the Jedi. Luke and Kyle were very famous for their heroics for the Republic, and every time the Empire attempted to rebuild and retake its territory, the Jedi always defeated them, pushing them back. And the famous Jedi always had a hand in it.

_We just can't keep going on like this,_ Staryoung thought, stroking his temple wearily. He had to face it... he was tired. Tired of seeing one Sith Lord fall just to be replaced by another. Tired of trying to keep the Imperial Remnant strong while the Republic and the Jedi kept ruining their achievements, driving them back. Perhaps it was... time to give up. Accept defeat.

Travick nodded slightly, as if he'd read the Admiral's mind. "This cycle is redundant, and must come to an end," he murmured.

"What are you suggesting?" Staryoung asked quietly.

"We should surrender peacefully when the Republic fleet arrives," the Sith answered.

Staryoung's eyebrows shot up, nearly vanishing under his bangs. That was the last thing he'd expected to hear from a Sith. Was this some kind of trick, or a test? In spite of himself, the Admiral chuckled nervously.

Travick's eyes narrowed. "Something amusing, Admiral?" he asked coolly.

"No, not really," Staryoung said, sounding rather tired. "Well, I'll be blunt," he added, sitting up straighter in his chair, and clasping his hands together on the desk in front of him. "I'm not used to hearing a Sith tell me that we should surrender."

Travick nodded, his features softening. "All things considered, it is the most logical course of action, Admiral. The Imperial Remnant is weak, and thanks to the Republic forces, it is growing weaker. When the Republic fleet arrives, their might--combined with that of the Jedi--could be enough to destroy us once and for all, and they will most likely capture those of us who survive, and put us on trial." He cocked his head to one side. "Wouldn't it be more beneficial to us all if we simply... surrendered without condition?"

Staryoung shook his head. "I still cannot believe my ears," he muttered. This man had just said the Imperial Remnant was weak... was he also saying that the _Sith_ were weak as well? The Sith believed themselves to be strong... to think that one of them would say the Sith were weak was unthinkable.

"If you must know," Travick sighed, "I do have my self-interest in mind--and I have yours in mind, as well. Think about it, Admiral; Eviwy and Markal are under the illusion that the power of the Dark Side will somehow defeat the Jedi and drive back the Republic. But I have found that, no matter how powerful one person becomes in the Force, one person cannot stand up against an entire fleet--especially if they do not have much support. We must face fact; the Imperial Remnant is small and weak, and the Republic is strong, growing bigger and stronger every day. The way I see it, we can either wait for them to come down on us, and either kill us or take us captive. Or we can surrender peacefully, and perhaps we could work something out with the Republic."

The Admiral remained silent for a full minute, steepling his fingers before him. "Just between you and me," he said very quietly, "I have been thinking the same thing, somewhere in the back of my mind. But we cannot surrender. If I give the order for everyone to put their weapons and surrender, Eviwy will kill me, and she will order everyone to engage the Republic when their fleet arrives."

----------------------

Kyle Katarn grumbled impatiently, staring up at the ceiling. He was lying flat on his back in the medical bay, wishing he were somewhere else. Anywhere else, really. He had accepted the fact that he needed to stay put so that his chest wound would heal. But this droid was acting like a mother hen over him, and it protested when he shifted into a more comfortable position.

"Hey," he muttered as the droid began to scold him, "It's not like I'm going to kill myself if I just fluff my pillow a little!"

The medical droid let out a low whistle, the equivalent of an exasperated sigh perhaps. Then it beeped again, informing him that he should lie still and get some rest.

"Yes, Master," Kyle muttered. "If you put any more of those drugs into my system, I'll probably sleep for a week."

The droid was not amused.

"Listen, if you'll stop hovering over me, I'll go to sleep, I promise," Kyle said.

The floating machine seemed to consider what he said, then it booped in agreement. It moved away, settling down in a corner, then appeared to power down. However, Kyle was aware of the fact that its camera-eye was aimed directly at him.

He sighed softly, thinking, if I do so much as sneeze, it'll be back over here. He allowed his eyes to drift shut, and entered a state of deep meditation, relaxing his body and aiding the healing process. Perhaps he would be well enough to leave the medbay sooner if he could use the Force to repair the damage Jaden's lightsaber had done to his chest.

--------------------

Darth Eviwy returned to the planet's surface with her squadron, seething. It seemed as though events were working against her, thwarting every plan she tried to carry out. She'd had Kyle in a vulnerable position, and she could have killed him easily. Yet she had only wounded him, and thus allowed him to escape when Jan came to rescue him. She had then attempted to locate his ship, yet he had masked his Force-signature from her.

_You know why you haven't been able to capture him,_ part of her brain told her. _It's because you still care about him. He's the one thing that, deep down, you still care about._

Eviwy snarled, gripping the hilt of her lightsaber tightly. "The Republic fleet is coming, and I can't stop it," she murmured, slamming her fist against the control panel before her. The hatch on the cockpit opened, allowing her to climb out. Once her feet were on the ground, she gestured toward the pilots, who were waiting for her orders. "I order you all to return to space, and hold off the Republic fleet for as long as you can!" she snapped. "I will make preparations down here."

The men looked relunctant, but they knew better than to cross a Sith--especially a Sith Empress. They immediately climbed back into their ships, powered up their engines, and blasted off into space, knowing full well that they were most likely flying to their deaths.

Eviwy's face bore a scowl as she headed toward the main Imperial Compound where Admiral Staryoung's office was. Once there she brushed past his personal guards, giving each one a look that told them any interference from them would result in death. They didn't even try to stop her as she headed toward the office, uninvited. Normally it was considered proper to at least let the Admiral know someone was coming, in case he was in the middle of something important, or in case he was speaking with someone else. But everyone knew that look in Eviwy's eyes by now--a look of rage, which shone like fire.

She opened the office door and stalked in as if she owned the place. She opened her mouth to speak, but closed it quickly, noticing Travick standing before the Admiral's desk. Staryoung himself was seated behind his desk, and both men looked startled by her sudden appearance.

"Am I interrupting something?" Eviwy asked icily.

"No, of course not," Travick said, uncharacteristically tugging at the collar of his robe.

Eviwy thought about pressing the matter, to find out what was going on, but decided against it. "The Republic fleet will be here any minute," she began, but Staryoung cut her off.

"We know, we've already been contacted by the person in charge of the fleet," the Admiral said. "They want us to surrender."

"Of course they do," Eviwy sneered, "but that will never happen. I want all of the available ships to engage the Republic fleet, to stall them as long as possible while we set up our ground forces. We must prepare for an all-out attack."

"Darth Eviwy," Staryoung sighed, "we just can't keep doing this anymore." He glanced at Travick out of the corner of his eye, then continued. "The Republic has us outnumbered and outgunned, especially with the Jedi on their side. The only sensible thing we can do is surrender, and hope they'll be merciful to us. The only other option is to fight until we're all dead, or captured."

He got no further. Eviwy's lightsaber activated with a snap-hiss, and she pointed the tip of the blade at his throat. "If I _ever_ hear you talking like that again," she hissed through clenched teeth, "I'll kill you."

"Leave him alone!" Travick shouted, activating his own lightsaber. "Eviwy, please--think about this rationally! We cannot--"

Eviwy raised her hand, using the Force to send him crashing into the opposite wall. "I should have known you've had a hand in this," she growled. "I'll show you what happens to traitors." She stretched out her arm, curving her fingers, then slowly clenched them into a fist. Travick's eyes bulged and he grabbed at his throat, choking as though his windpipe was being crushed.

"No--stop!" Staryoung snapped. He snatched up something out from under his desk--a small blaster pistol. He aimed it at Eviwy. "You Sith keep turning on each other--right now, we need all the men we have to survive, and to rebuild. Even if we do engage the Republic as you wish too, we cannot afford to lose any men. Let him go, _now!_"

Eviwy dropped her hand, and Travick went limp, gasping and choking on the floor. She slowly turned to face Staryoung, then used the Force to knock the weapon out of his grasp. "You have crossed me for the last time," she snarled, and used the Force to choke him. She crushed his windpipe, then snapped his neck. He let out a startled, gurgling cry, then fell forward across his desk. He released one final breath in a strangled wheeze, then he made no further sound or movement.

"Monster," Travick choked, attempting to stand. "How could you--cough--the people on this world will revolt when--choke--they find our you killed their leader!"

"They will not," Eviwy said. "Because from now on, I will show no weakness. _Anyone_ who crosses me shall die, whether their offense is big or small. I will not show mercy or compassion--because such things lead to vulnerability. I will not be taken advantage of, nor will I be betrayed." She raised her lightsaber. "You have been consorting against me. For that, you will die. I shall make an example of all traitors!"

"Darth Eviwy--wait!" Travick pleaded, half-stumbling, half-kneeling in front of her. He figured he might as well tell her--what did he have to lose? She was probably going to kill him anyway. And perhaps there was a slim chance... she might spare him, if she deemed him useful. She would not show mercy anymore, she would only spare those who would serve her. "Need... to tell you... cough Marvick is planning to attack you, during the battle. He told me this. He wants to kill you, to take your place."

Eviwy studied him for a moment, then slowly lowered her blade. She did not shut off her weapon, but she made no move to strike him down, either. "I sense no deception from you," she said. "When--and how--is he planning to do this?" she asked, placing her free hand firmly on her hip.

"When the Republic attacks, he knew you would probably be distracted," Travick replied, rubbing his throat tentatively.

"I see," she replied after a moment. She stared at him, frowning, her eyes narrowing. "Everyone around me is turning on me," she murmured. "I cannot trust anyone anymore--trusting is a sign of weakness!" Right at that moment, she got a new look in her eyes, one that sent a chill up and down Travick's spine. It was a wild look, one that suggested the beginning signs of insanity.

And her next words confirmed Travick's fear--the fear that she was losing her mind. "I should kill everyone here. They're all going to betray me..."

As if on cue, the office door opened again, revealing none other than Marvick. "Darth Eviwy!" he said, "The Republic fleet has arrived, and they're sending ground troops to the planet's surface!" He looked like he had more to report, but he suddenly noticed the fact that Travick was kneeling on the floor at Eviwy's feet, clutching his neck... and Admiral Staryoung lay sprawled across his desk, as limp as a dead fish.

Before anyone could say anything, there was a loud explosion, immediately followed by a tremor in the floor beneath their fleet. Everyone knew what was going on: the Republic had begun its attack.

"So it has begun," Marvick said, activating his lightsaber. "You could have prevented this, Eviwy, had you been stronger," he growled, moving toward her threateningly.

"It was hopeless from the start," Travick murmured, rising from the floor.

"So are you both against me now?!" Eviwy said, her voice rising. "I will kill both of you!"

There was a flash of movement, and a lightsaber battle began. There was no way to tell who made the first move to engage the three-way battle.

-----------------

"No..." Kyle groaned, tossing and turning on his bed, causing the medical droid to squawk in alarm. He sat bolt-upright, panting, and only then did he realize that he'd fallen asleep. He forced himself to calm down and slow his breathing, then he noticed the droid hovering over him, prepared to administer a sedative. "I'm fine," he muttered, waving the droid away. It stared at him for a moment, scanning him, then finally retreated to its corner.

_Jaden,_ Kyle thought, squeezing his eyes shut. He sensed a strong disturbance through the Force, sensing pain, fear, anger... and a heated battle. He sensed ripples in the Force that were caused my battle, and he knew that the Republic had begun its attack on the planet below. But even amidst all of the fighting, he could still make out his former student... his former friend. Jaden was losing her sanity, and she was battling other Dark Jedi.

Kyle swallowed, and attempted to reach out through the Force. He hoped to contact her, as he had right before she killed Rosh. She hadn't listened to him then, but perhaps there was still some spark of good within her that he could reach. Luke had sensed it after she'd stolen the Sceptor, and he had sensed it for himself when he had confronted her.

_Jaden,_ he transmitted, desperate to reach her, to save her. _Please listen to me..._

The only response he recieved was a wave of anger and frustration. Then he sensed her blocking him out.

He gritted his teeth, clenching his fist in frustration. Was she beyond redemption? Surely there was _some_ way that she could be saved...

---------------

The Imperial compound shuddered. It was obvious that the Republic warships were beginning to bombard the planet's surface. Perhaps they'd never even sent any ground forces down to begin with. Perhaps Marvick was lying, hoping to distract her, and maybe he was expecting Travick to aide him.

Either way, both men now lay on the ground, dead. And Eviwy leaned heavily against the wall, beside the office door, wounded. It had been a three-way battle, with each person fighting for their own life. Now that the battle was over, she was left with several broken ribs, a severed arm, a fractured leg, and a broken lightsaber. She could feel the ground trembling as the Republic proceeded with its attack, and she could feel the deaths of Dark Jedi and troopers all around her.

"No," she whispered, sliding down the wall onto the floor. She shook her head, trying to deny the truth. Staryoung was dead, her personal aides were dead, the Republic was attacking what remained of the Empire, and... and the Republic was _winning._

_Jaden,_ came Kyle's insistent "voice" within in her. She scrunched her eyes shut, gritting her teeth. "Shut up," she hissed through her teeth, curling into a ball on the floor. She did her best to ignore the pain.

_Jaden, give it up,_ Kyle "said" to her. It was at that moment she realized how weak she really was. She could no longer block him out of her mind. She feebly attempted to raise the barriers around her mind, but it was like trying to use jello to stop a starship. However, Kyle was still the kind, compassionate man she'd remembered him to be. The "starship" went right through the "jello" and came in for a soft landing.

_Go away,_ Eviwy thought, holding onto her anger and growing hatred, as if it were a tangable weapon she could use to fight him off. _I'm NOT Jaden anymore. I'm Darth Eviwy._

_What will it accomplish, to hold onto your anger? Jaden, please listen to me. I know that the Jaden I used to know, the girl who I trained, is still in there somewhere. And I think that part of you wants to let it go, to forgive Rosh. Jaden, please stop this._

"No," Jaden murmured aloud, her eyelids flickering. Another explosion sounded off nearby, took close for comfort. The office shuddered, and an enormous crack appeared in the ceiling. She looked around the room, and saw the Sceptor leaning against the opposite wall, where she had left it. She'd forgotten that she had left it there, when she went into space to try and capture Kyle. She stared at it, amazed that Travick hadn't taken it. To think that it had been sitting there all this time, and none of them had noticed it...

She tried to summon her strength, and she tried to focus on her anger. She was starting to get used to the dark power fueled by anger and hate, and yet... somehow, the dark emotions were beginning to evaporate. She growled, trying to summon up the anger she felt toward Rosh, the annoyance and frustration she'd often felt toward him... and yet it was like grasping at wisps of smoke. Somehow Kyle had a calming presence within her mind, and he was make the thick fog of dark emotion thin and clear out. It was then that she realized... that was why she loved him. And why she looked up to him as one would a father...

"Kyle," she whispered as tears began to streak down her face. She felt the darkness evaporating, as though she had been out in the cold, freezing, and had just gone indoors to sit by a warm fireplace with a roaring fire. Kyle's presence in her mind had that affect on her, and it even felt as though he were embracing her gently, just as a father would welcome his daughter to come in out of the cold, even after she had committed murder. And she even felt him spreading a figurative blanket across her shoulders, as she sat huddled before the metaphorical fireplace.

_It's okay, Jaden,_ Kyle murmured within her mind. _It's good that you finally see the truth. Nothing good could ever come of holding onto anger and hatred. Even the smallest grudge can lead to anger._

"Kyle, it's too late," Jaden said, her voice trembling. "I-I killed Rosh. I let the darkness take me. I was prepared to start a war against the Republic, and I was prepared to hurt you... and I did hurt you."

_But you didn't kill me,_ Kyle said. _That's how I knew there was still a spark of good in you. That you could be redeemed. Jaden, we can end this now. Destroy the Sceptor. And come back to us._

"No," Jaden whispered, slowly and painfully picking herself up off the floor. "It's too late... I don't deserve a second chance," she said. She slowly reached out and summoned Travick's fallen lighsaber to her with the Force. "I will destroy the Sceptor, Kyle... no one else will have it." With that, she limped over to it, and activated the saber blade. Then, in a smooth, swift motion, she destroyed the Sceptor. It glowed brightly, making a loud noise as bottled-up energy was instantly released, then the pieces fell to the floor, harmless and useless.

The building shuddered again, and the crack in the ceiling widened further. Jaden looked up at it, knowing that it could collapse at any moment.

_Jaden, get out of there, now--_

"No," Jaden said, shaking her head. "I won't."

The ceiling made a threatening sound, and she knew it was starting to cave in. But rather than look up at it, she raised the lightsaber blade to her chest, and she stabbed herself with the energy beam.

----------------

"Jaden--no!!"

Those words exploded from Kyle's lips, but he knew it was too late. She had killed herself, and even if the lightsaber wound hadn't been fatal... he knew the building had most likely collasped on top of her. Either way, he felt her death through the Force.

The medical droid approached him and adminstered a mild sedative, obviously under the assumption that he'd had a bad dream. He attempted to resist the drug, but quickly decided there was no longer any use. The main reason he'd stayed awake was to try and contact Jaden. And he had. He'd managed to return her to the Light, and he had been with her during her final moments of life. Now there was nothing left for him to do, except rest. The Sceptor was destroyed, the Republic was winning the battle. So he just closed his eyes, and allowed himself to drift off to sleep.

---------------

Several hours later, after the droid had relunctantly given him permission to leave the medbay, Kyle found Luke and Jan on the observation deck.

"Who's bright idea was it to put a droid in charge of the medbay?" was the first thing Kyle muttered as he joined them. "It mothered over me and wouldn't let me leave until it had scanned, poked, and prodded every inch of my person. Was that a medical bay, did I get dragged off to an Imperial torture chamber by mistake?"

Jan beamed at him, and gave him a peck on the cheek. "Good to know you're feeling better," she said cheerfully.

"Ah, it's good just to be out of there," Kyle replied, putting his arm around her, smiling at her.

Jan returned the smile, but it quickly faded as she turned to face Luke. "We've got some... news about Jaden," she said.

"I know, she's dead," Kyle said. "I sensed her through the Force."

Luke placed a hand on Kyle's shoulder. "I sensed what you did through the Force," he said. "I know that she died peacefully, because of what you told her."

"Told her?" Jan said, looking from one Jedi Master to the other. "What am I missing?"

"I contacted her through the Force," Kyle said. "I helped her to let go of her anger, and she turned away from the Dark Side. She destroyed the Sceptor... and then she killed herself."

Jan blinked. "From the reports... there were two Sith men in the room with her. We'd assumed that one of them had stabbed her, and was too wounded to escape the building before it collasped."

"No, Jaden defeated both of them, but she was severely wounded," Kyle said. "But she did have enough strength to destroy the Sceptor... and to take her own life. But... she found peace before she died, and she is one with the Force now."

"She found her peace because of you, Kyle," Luke said. "You did well."

"If only I could have saved her, or taught her better, none of this would have happened," Kyle replied sadly.

"The Force works in mysterious ways," Luke told him. "Think about it. If she hadn't fallen to the Dark Side, we never would have found the Imperial Remnants' base of operations, because we would never have gone looking for her. We would have been able to destroy the pair of Imperial ships above Korriban, and we could have rounded up the troops and the Dark Jedi on Korriban's surface. But we may never have found where their base of operations was located. And you did manage to bring her back to the Light, at the critical moment."

Kyle thought about this for a moment, then nodded. "Yeah, that makes sense," he murmured. "The Force knows what it's doing." He sighed, folding his hands in front of him. "But it's a shame that our final victory came with such a price. Jaden was... a good kid."


End file.
